A blog dealing with either the joy of cinema or the agony of cinema--nothing in between.

Thursday, April 5, 2012

The Sea Hawk

In Elizabethan Britain, the unsanctioned Sea Hawks patrol the seas and plunder the ships of the ever expanding Spanish Empire. Among the bravest of these men is Geoffrey Thorpe whose dangerous actions not only jeopardize his own life and freedom, plus place him in a position to overhear of high treason and warn her majesty of an impending assault by the Spanish Armada. Michael Curtiz's high seas auctioneer the sea romp represented and rallying call for a Britain staring war in the eye, and features an expectedly dashing, but more serious Errol Flynn in the lead role. As a supporter, Flora Robson is quite excellent as Queen Elizabeth I, especially in a rousing closing speech. The film is well directed and shot, except in a sequence where Flynn and his men sail to Panama to raid the Spanish. These scenes are shot in an ugly brown tint, and are jarring and unpleasant. "The Sea Hawk" is excellent action propaganda from one of the most underappreciated studio directors and one of the top stars of all time.